Interventional treatment of biliary stent restenosis: recent progress in clinical management

Malignant obstructive jaundice is biliary obstruction disorders which are caused by various malignant tumors. Usually the disease is at its advanced stage and is inoperable when the diagnosis is confirmed. At present, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTCD) and endoscopic or interventional implantation of plastic or self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) are the main managements in clinical practice. Due to the improved survival time, biliary stent restenosis has become a quite common clinical problem. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and biliary tract radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have provided new therapeutic means for clinical use. Especially, with its development in technology and equipment, RFA has played more and more important role in treating biliary stent restenosis. (authors)